Bolton to get £2 million to extend GP opening hours and improve health technology

HEALTH chiefs will inject £2 million into innovative GP pilot schemes in Bolton — including the extension of GP opening hours and improvements to technology.

The NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has announced plans to test out 26 new ideas put forward by GP practices as part of the Primary Care Innovation Fund.

More than 100 GP practices applied for the cash and had to submit a bid to a panel made up of a board member and a member of the public.

Su Long, chief officer at the CCG, said GP services will be central to plans to create an integrated health and social care system in Bolton within the CCG’s budget.

Ms Long added: “At NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group, our vision for Bolton is to have joined-up health and social care, with more services provided in the community. To provide a seamless service that supports people in their own home, we will need to shift NHS resources from hospital based care.

“High quality services provided by local GPs will be central to this shift. We know this is a priority for Bolton people, so we’ve made savings elsewhere that allow us to invest in improving primary care provision.

“It was extremely difficult to select just 26 of the bids we received, as they were all of a very high calibre.

“This is a real testament to the vision and dedication of our GP teams in Bolton and bodes well for the future of primary care in the borough.”

The CCG said it cannot name the GP practices testing out the pilot schemes but say some are trialling extended opening hours, whilst others will look at improving care for older patients with complex conditions.

Technology improvements are also being piloted such as a new app to help patients decide where to go for minor illnesses and injuries and remote access to patient records.

The innovation fund ties in with the CCG’s effort to reduce the number of hospital admissions.

Comments

There are 6 doctors in the practice I use. They all work three and a half days a week. If they all worked a full week they could deliver a better and more accessible service.

There are 6 doctors in the practice I use. They all work three and a half days a week. If they all worked a full week they could deliver a better and more accessible service.boltonchap

There are 6 doctors in the practice I use. They all work three and a half days a week. If they all worked a full week they could deliver a better and more accessible service.

Score: 3

steveG
12:46pm Tue 21 Jan 14

It's not Su's fault, she's just the latest,in a long line of,I assume,well meaning people (though she's not doing too badly out of it) who have churned out these ideas for years.

It goes like this - Doctors surgeries apply for the funds to computerise patients records which will be accessible to the patient and professionals.
Nothing happens, the Doctors are laughing all the way to the bank and await the next initiative which will arrive years down the line and the Doctors apply again.

Luvly jubbly.

It's not Su's fault, she's just the latest,in a long line of,I assume,well meaning people (though she's not doing too badly out of it) who have churned out these ideas for years.
It goes like this - Doctors surgeries apply for the funds to computerise patients records which will be accessible to the patient and professionals.
Nothing happens, the Doctors are laughing all the way to the bank and await the next initiative which will arrive years down the line and the Doctors apply again.
Luvly jubbly.steveG

It's not Su's fault, she's just the latest,in a long line of,I assume,well meaning people (though she's not doing too badly out of it) who have churned out these ideas for years.

It goes like this - Doctors surgeries apply for the funds to computerise patients records which will be accessible to the patient and professionals.
Nothing happens, the Doctors are laughing all the way to the bank and await the next initiative which will arrive years down the line and the Doctors apply again.

Ipsoregulated

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